Subject: [Tweeters] Ruff still along Boe Road, Snohomish County on Sunday
Date: Dec 2 16:49:15 2007
From: WILLIAM R BOYINGTON - wrboyington at msn.com


A ruff . presumably the same one previously reported, was seen along Boe Road around 3:00 p.m. today. To repeat the location, Boe Road is approx. 2 miles south of Stanwood, off Marine (or Marine View?) Drive, to the west.

Just after 2:30 p.m., the rain had somewhat abated, and I was checking out the field north of the road, about 0.6-0.8 miles from the junction. There I met Josh Parrott, from Mount Vernon, who was also looking for the ruff. As we sorted through the killdeer, and one other plover, possibly a black-bellied, Josh spotted a larger bird with white on the tail, that flew, along with some killdeer, into a yard just in front of the farmhouse east of the field. He checked it out and motioned me down there, and we were able to confirm, with the scope, that it was a juvenile ruff, matching nicely Sibley"s picture of same. The light then was decent as it foraged just beyond a large mud puddle in an area, around the periphery of which was stored heavy equipment, and with a large green trash bin near the road. It had a buffy head and breast down to the belly, with legs a greenish-yellow. After a few minutes, it flew back into the field to the west. I would say both areas are worth checking. Very nice bird; thanks to those who reported it earlier.

Bill Boyington
Shoreline WA